American heiress (1900–1977)
Anne Catherine Tredick Mommand (née Wendell , previously known as the Countess of Carnarvon and Mrs Geoffrey Grenfell ; November 25, 1900 – 1977) was an American heiress who married into the British aristocracy.
Catherine was born on November 25, 1900. She was the eldest daughter of Marian (née Fendall) Wendell (d. 1949)[ 1] and Jacob Wendell III (d. 1911), of New York and Sandridgebury, Sandridge , Hertfordshire .[ 2] Her younger sister, Philippa Fendall Wendell , was the wife of Randolph Stewart, 12th Earl of Galloway .[ 3] Her brothers were Jacob Wendell (who married Eileen V. Carr) and Reginald L. Wendell.[ 4] [ 5]
Her father, a Harvard graduate and Broadway actor, died of pneumonia shortly before he was to appear in the leading role in What the Doctor Ordered at the Astor Theatre .[ 6] [ 7] Her maternal grandfather was Union soldier, Philip Richard Fendall III, and her great-grandparents were Elizabeth Mary (née Young) Fendall and Philip Richard Fendall II , the District Attorney of the District of Columbia . Her paternal grandfather was Jacob Wendell of Jacob Wendell Co.[ 8]
On 17 July 1922, Catherine was married to Lord Porchester at St Margaret's, Westminster .[ 4] He was the son and heir of George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon and Almina Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon and upon his father's death on 5 April 1923, Henry became the 6th Earl of Carnarvon and Catherine became Countess of Carnarvon.[ 10] Before their divorce in 1936,[ 11] they were the parents of two children:[ 12]
After their divorce, Lady Carnarvon married, as his second wife, Lt.-Cdr. Geoffrey Seymour Grenfell (1898–1940) in 1938.[ 15] Geoffrey was a son of Riversdale Francis John Grenfell (son of Charles Seymour Grenfell) and Cecil Blanche (née Lubbock) Grenfell.[ 16] Grenfell died in action during World War II just two years after their marriage.[ 17] [ 18]
Ten years after his death, she married Don Stuart Momand (d. 1977) in 1950,[ 19] who had previously been married to Virginia Ten Eyck Rice (a daughter of William Lowe Rice).[ 20]
Catherine Mommand died in 1977.[ 19]
Through her son Henry, she was a grandmother of George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon , Henry "Harry" Herbert, and Lady Carolyn Herbert.[ 19]
Through her daughter Penelope, she was a grandmother of Michael Gerrit van der Woude, David Anthony van der Woude, and Penelope Catherine Mary van der Woude.[ 19]
^ "£7,150 ESTATE Equal Shares for Three" . The Daily Telegraph . 31 January 1950. p. 16. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "A DAY'S WEDDINGS.; Wendell -- Fendall" . The New York Times . 17 April 1895. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ TIMES, Special Cable to THE NEW YORK (12 July 1924). "Philippa Wendell Will Also Wed an Earl; Elder Sister Is Wife of Earl of Carnarvon" . The New York Times . Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ a b "TO WED LORD PORCHESTER.; Engagement of Miss Catherine Wendell of New York Announced" . The New York Times . 1 June 1922. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ a b "COUNTESS CARNARVON NOW HAS A DAUGHTER; Second Child Is Born to Former Catherine Wendell, Wife of Lord Potchester" . The New York Times . 5 March 1925. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "ASTOR'S PLAY POSTPONED.; Jacob Wendell, Jr., Cast in Principal Role, Stricken with Pneumonia" . The New York Times . 20 April 1911. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "JACOB WENDELL, JR., IS DEAD.; Actor and Harvard Graduate Dies of Pneumonia -- Acted in "The Blue Bird." " . The New York Times . 23 April 1911. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ Times, Special to The New York (16 March 1901). "JACOB WENDELL'S WILL.; Most of the Estate Left to His Widow -- Bequests for Harvard College and Other Institutions" . The New York Times . Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ Times, the New York Times Company special Cable To the New York (7 December 1926). "COUNTESS CARNARVON ILL.; Former Catherine Wendell of New York Has Appendicitis Operation" . The New York Times . Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "LORD CARNARVON DIVORCED; Former Catherine Wendell of New York Wins Decree in Britain" . The New York Times . 23 April 1936. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "EARL OF CARNARVON SUED FOR DIVORCE; Former Catherine Wendell of New York Files Action in London Court. COUPLE WEDDED 13 YEARS Viscountess Lymington, Former Mary L. Post, Also Seeks a Decree in British Capital" . The New York Times . 5 January 1936. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ Times, The New York (8 January 1956). "Jean M. Wallop Wed at St. James'; Escorted by Father at Her Marriage to Lord Porchester" . The New York Times . Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "LADY HERBERT WED TO BRITISH SOLDIER; Penelope, Daughter of Earl of Carnarvon, Bride in England of Gerrit van der Woude" . The New York Times . 22 April 1945. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "LADY CARNARVON MARRIED; Former Catharine Wendell Wed to Geoffrey Grenfell" . The New York Times . 22 September 1938. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "WEDDING THIS MONTH FOR LADY CARNARVON; Former Wife of Earl, Born Here, Fiancee of Geoffrey Grenfell" . The New York Times . 18 September 1938. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "County Town Echoes" . Bucks Examiner . 21 March 1941. p. 6. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ "£37,443 WILL Estate of Lt.-Cmdr. G. S. Grenfell" . Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic . 18 October 1941. p. 6. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
^ a b c d Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage , Baronetage and Knightage, vol 1 (107th ed.). London. p. 699. ISBN 0971196621 . ((cite book ))
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link )
^ "MISS VIRGINIA RICE MARRIED IN PARIS; New York Girl's Wedding to Don Stuart Momand a Surprise to Friends Here. WED IN AMERICAN CHURCH They Will Live in London, Where Bridegroom, Son of Mrs. A.L. Momand of New York, is in Business" . The New York Times . 14 July 1921. Retrieved 10 May 2022 .
Herbert, Henry (1976). No Regrets: Memoirs of the Earl of Carnarvon . London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0297772465 .